John Noble – Nerdisthttp://nerdist.com
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 02:36:08 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4ELEMENTARY’s Rob Doherty, John Noble Talk Season 4 at NYCChttp://nerdist.com/elementarys-rob-doherty-john-noble-talk-season-4-at-nycc/
Wed, 14 Oct 2015 02:00:41 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=318884Elementary has spent most of the past three seasons sticking pretty close to well-adapted canon when it comes to central characters in the Sherlock Holmes universe. That will change with the season 4 premiere on November 5, though, when veteran actor John Noble joins the cast as Morland Holmes, father to Jonny Lee Miller‘s Sherlock.

We chatted with both John Noble and Executive Producer Robert Doherty at New York Comic Con tto talk about bringing this new, and almost certainly disruptive, character into the close knit family unit Miller’s Holmes has created with his partner, Lucy Liu‘s Joan Watson. It was also a great opportunity to talk about how hard the team has worked to portray addiction in the show, and overall look and feel that New York City allows. Here’s what they had to say.

Spoiler Alert: This is not a spoiler-free post (Sleepy Hollow is also discussed).

Nerdist: What’s it like to bring in someone so pivotal to the story? Joining cast in the fourth season, playing his father, who’s been brought up since day one as this very mysterious and not necessarily very loving character: you’re going to come in and affect everything.

John Noble: To come into the company, it’s a real gift because the show is so good, so successful, seriously, and the company of actors is astonishing, you know. I do my work with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, and they’re both such wonderful actors. So it’s this gift of walking in—sorry to keep raving—it was like going home. I love it. Everything was so smooth. The writer’s are very, very smart.

Rob Doherty: I confess, it’s scary in that there’s no canonical basis for the character. We’ve had, over the last few seasons, characters we have pulled from the canon, and we’ve been very careful to put our own spins on them. We’ve had Mycroft; Kitty Winter was a very important part of season 3, but Sherlock’s father was a creation of the show. Someone that we alluded to going all the way back to the pilot. I would always liken—I’m old enough now where no one gets this reference but I’m going to use it anyway—I would always liken him to Robin Masters on Magnum PI. Kind of this interesting shadowy person that you never meet. But this felt like the time. I think possibly I waited for as long as I did because it’s intimidating. It’s so pivotal. It’s so important. You want to have not just the right character in your head, but the greatest actor you can find to pair with Jonny and Lucy. It’s intimidating. But we’re almost midpoint in the season and it’s been such a jolt for the show. John is so phenomenal. Watching him and Jonny, in particular, take apart this relationship and expose it to the audience is really fascinating to watch. We couldn’t be happier.

N: The show tells such a wonderful—as weird as that adjective is—story of addiction. You show the anonymous meeting lifestyle in such a true and wonderful way. What was it was like to adapt the drug abuse aspect of the Sherlock Holmes stories to the modern era? Can you tell me a bit about the research you did as a team to make sure that it came to life in such a true way?

RD: I feel like it’s the kernel of the idea that I started from, so it’s always been a part of the show. When we first started, … we were talking about it and wondering what would we have to bring to another Sherlock Holmes franchise because they’re always out there whether it’s books or comics or TV or movies—and you want to have your own take. And for having dug back into the canon and revisited stories I hadn’t read in twenty years, what really jumped out was the drug use. I was drawn to this idea of having Sherlock Holmes in repair. Someone who was the guy who was always twenty steps ahead of the police. Someone who walked into the room and saw twenty things. That’s the Holmes we’ve all known and grown up with. What excited me was the idea of delivering a Holmes to that place. Can we pull someone out of this terrible problem and watch him rebuild himself? And I so appreciate not only that you have noticed the care we take to get things right where which means we can. It’s been really wonderful to interact with fans or people who don’t even necessarily watch the show for Sherlock Holmes, they watch because they can relate to what he’s going through. And I promise I’ll shut up in just a second.

JN: No, please continue. I find it fascinating.

RD: I’d say the other part of it, just going back to the pilot again, it’s relatable. It’s sad that it’s relatable but people understand what he’s going through. Sherlock Holmes is probably one of the most fascinating yet least relatable characters in the history of popular culture. But people understand this. Even if they don’t have a problem with addiction, they see someone who has recognized that something is broken inside of them and they’re trying to fix it….while we have a lot of fun crafting the mysteries and watching a very unique mind at work, we love that we can really ground him and present something very real to the people who watch the show.

JN: It’s interesting. All of the very great actors that I have watched over the years, truly great actors, show vulnerability. They’re not sort of men like this instead of full and vulnerable. What this forces is that you have a vulnerable man, a broken man, and I love that too. I know for a fact that’s what people identify with. They don’t want to see the perfect character. They want to see someone coming from where they are coming from going “I can do this! I can fight this back!” That’s why Sherlock is so successful. That’s why Walter Bishop was so successful. He was broken, but he kept fighting to come back. That’s the genius of what you’ve done by the way.

N: You’ve played so many father figures in recent years. How do you bring something different to each of these roles and how have you prepared to join this set little family on Elementary?

JN: We all come from families. We all know that the link between children and parents sometimes can feel like it’s disasterous, but at the end of the day it’s the most strong link we have int he world. You will always be drawn back, no matter what you’ve been through, to get there. Playing the part of the father, I know the feelings. I know the conflicts. I have a son. So in a sense, I play off my own truth about this father, playing the troubled father, playing either the open father or the closed father. I’ve actually seen through it…the addiction theme you mentioned…All I really have to do is be really truthful to that observation and these characters come out of it with a level of truth I think so.

N: Do you enjoy the mystery aspect of the shows you’ve done recently?

JN: Oh my goodness, it’s so wonderful. To be able to play the secret… It’s like a game you play. As an actor, you still play your own truth but you don’t necessarily show it. You have that internal thing. And most of us don’t show what we’re thinking. We don’t show what we’re feeling. I mean perhaps 5% of the time. So it’s kind of an interesting game to play. Subtext is always there. It’s a wonderful acting exercise to do the stuff. It was very interesting the first season of Sleepy Hollow, Tom Mison kind of knew that I was this strange character, but as we were getting on so well, he actually forgot. He actually forgot until the finale, and then said, “Oh god I forgot this!” And it was wonderful. And then we went back and said, “But look at all the clues he’s left!”

RD: I promise Morland is not Sherlock’s son.

JN: Thank god for that. It was so hard having this gorgeous woman—Katia Winter—and this gorgeous man as my parents? They’re beautiful people.

Tell us how exactly you think Sherlock’s father is going to mix things up at the brownstone in season 4 of Elementary in the comments below!

Elementary will be back with this November with a brand new season and characters for you to get amped on. I sat down with Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu, John Noble, and executive producer Robert Doherty at New York Comic Con to discuss the show, the characters, where they came from and where their going. The full interview will come later in the weekend, but here’s a taste to get you excited alongside the trailer.

John Noble’s addition to the cast was announced over the summer, but few details about his character—the elusive father of Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes—have been released. What we do know is that Mr. Holmes will come to New York City in the wake of Sherlock’s recent [spoiler] relapse at the end of the last season. When I asked both Noble and executive producer Robert Doherty what it was like to bring such a pivotal character to life this late in the game, they had amusingly different answers.

“To come into the company, it’s a real gift because the show is so good, so successful, seriously, and the company of actors is astonishing. I do my work with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, and they’re both such wonderful actors. It’s this gift of walking in—sorry to keep raving—but I’ve worked with the crew before, and it’s like coming home,” Noble said. His enthusiasm could not be missed, and he’s clearly so thrilled to be joining the group.

When presented with the same question, Doherty was equally enthused about the addition of Sherlock’s father, but also trepidatious: “I confess, it’s scary in that there is no canonical basis for the character.”

Over the last three seasons, the show has introduced new interpretations of canonical characters from the Holmes universe, often with twists you just don’t see coming. From a female Watson to an intriguing version of Irene Adler, Doherty and his team have created a gorgeous story with characters you can care deeply for no matter their actions.

Season 4 looks like it will continue to showcase masterful procedural storytelling with beautiful moments of insight into the mind of an addict and the people who love him. Check out the exclusive trailer for the new season above for a first look at John Noble as Sherlock’s father and get excited for November.

Elementary returns to CBS on November 5th, 2015. Are you a fan? Let us know in the comments.

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Images/Video: CBS

]]>TV-Cap: Joel McHale Joins THE X-FILES Revival, TANGLED Gets an Animated Series, & Morehttp://nerdist.com/tv-cap-joel-mchale-joins-the-x-files-revival-tangled-gets-an-animated-series-more/
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 16:30:27 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=261859Are you prepared for the most important news you’ll read today? Stephen Colbert has shaved off his beard. Yeah, it’s a big deal. Even if you don’t find this to be earth-shattering news, the video documenting the loss of the Colbeard is hilarious. You can find it below in today’s TV-Cap along with news about an addition to The X-Files revival, a father figure coming to Elementary, filming locations for Season 6 of Game of Thrones, and more.

Bye-Bye, Beard. The Colbeard has taken a bow. In his first video for CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Colbert catches us up on what he’s been up to since December and goes on at length about his beard. He tries to find a new look as he shaves his beard—the Un-Hitler is my preferred style. Colbert’s first Late Show episode will air September 8. [TV Insider]

Hello, Father.Elementary’s Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) will encounter his father in Season 4 of the series. John Noble has joined the cast as a series regular. In the season premiere, “Mr. Holmes arrives in New York City to deal with the aftermath of his son’s recent relapse.” Noble is brilliant in basically everything, and it should be interesting to see him opposite of Miller. [Give Me My Remote]

A New Face. We’ve heard about who will be returning for The X-Files revival when it comes back on January 25, but not much about new roles–until now! Insert dramatic music here. Community‘s Joel McHale will appear in a guest role. He’s playing Tad O’Malley, an “anchor of a popular conservative Internet news network who becomes an unlikely ally for Fox Mulder.” I’m very much looking forward to seeing him tackle a more serious type of character. [Comic Book Resources]

I Have a Dream! If you’re like me and watched Disney’s Tangled on repeat and listened to the soundtrack over and over, you’re about to be ecstatic. The animated film is coming to the Disney Channel as a series! Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi are returning to voice Rapunzel and Eugene in the show that’s set between the film and the short titled Tangled Ever After. The series will feature familiar faces and at least one new character. [Nerdist]

All the Shark Things. A big week is coming up for shark enthusiasts. Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week kicks off on July 5. As a person who is terrified of sharks and the ocean in general, I will be staying away but those of you tuning in can watch a new shark-centric late night talk show hosted by Eli Roth. Shark After Dark will span five episodes and will feature Roth talking to shark fans, experts, and celebrity guests. I hope someone from Jaws makes an appearance. [A.V. Club]

On Location. Production for Season 6 of Game of Thrones will begin in July. Among the usual filming locations in places like Belfast, the show will be going back to Spain, specifically near Girona and Peñiscola. Parts of Season 5 of the series film there too–Seville and Cordoba served as parts of Dorne and Volantis. [Deadline]

Fanning Flames. El Rey is taking From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series to the ATX Television Festival this weekend, but they’ve dropped some new images from Season 2 ahead of their panel. The pictures show the Gecko brothers on the run, Carlos Madrigal, Ranger Gonzalez, and more. The second season will have 10 episodes and will premiere on August 25.

An Author’s Thoughts. Season 1 of Outlander is in the rear view mirror and that means it’s time for reflection. Alicia spoke with Diana Gabaldon, the author of the Outlander books, about how Season 1 was adapted, the finale controversy, and what’s ahead in Season 2. Read the interview here.

What do you think about Joel McHale joining The X-Files? Do you have any actors you’re dying to see become part of the cast? Share your thoughts and picks in the comments.

]]>TV-Cap: New THE FLASH Sizzle Reel, Nina Dobrev Leaving THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, & Morehttp://nerdist.com/tv-cap-new-the-flash-sizzle-reel-nina-dobrev-leaving-the-vampire-diaries-more/
Tue, 07 Apr 2015 17:30:15 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=239456All good things must come to an end. The Vampire Diaries is experiencing that to some degree because Nina Dobrev has decided to leave the series. Her character, Elena Gilbert, is one of the leads, and it’s hard to imagine that the series won’t change drastically without her. Read more about her good-bye in today’s television news round-up and also check out an update on the modern series of Doctor Who, a new sizzle reel for The Flash, a Syfy series from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and more.

Elena’s Moving On.The Vampire Diaries’s Nina Dobrev has announced she’s leaving the series at the end of this season. The sobbing that you’re hearing is Delena supporters around the world. Dobrev dropped the news on Instagram after sharing photos of a lake party with The Vampire Diaries cast and crew over the weekend. She said, “I always knew I wanted Elena’s story to be a six season adventure.” I’m having a hard time imagining where the series will go without her. [Nerdist]

Adventures at Syfy. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are working on their first scripted cable project for Syfy. The network has given a pilot order for their series Incorporated. Affleck and Damon will executive produce the pilot, and David and Alex Pastor will write it. The sci-fi drama “is set in a future where companies have unlimited power and tells the story of executive Ben Larson, who is forced to change his identity in order to infiltrate a cut-throat corporate world to save the woman he loves. In the process, he’ll take on the entire system — with deadly consequences.” [The Hollywood Reporter]

Robin and Rumplestiltskin. We’ve haven’t seen much of Sean Maguire’s Robin Hood on Once Upon a Time recently but Sunday’s episode will feature a flashback showing Rumplestiltskin recruiting Robin for a job that involves traveling to Oz. Yes, Wicked Witch is coming back. [TV Fanatic]

A Suspect Reappearance.Person of Interest fans: If you don’t want to be spoiled by learning about the return of a favorite character, skip over the next few sentences. The April 14 episode will see the return of Taraji P. Henson as NYPD detective Joss Carter. The character hasn’t been in an episode since 2013 and since she’s dead, Henson will appear in new flashbacks. [TVLine]

My Head Is Spinning.The Flash brought a new sizzle reel to WonderCon over the weekend. The two minutes of footage shows Barry fighting Emily Kinney’s Brie Larvan, the relationship between Barry and Reverse Flash, a surprising kiss, Grodd, and basically all the exciting things. The last six episodes of Season 1 look like they’re going to be awesome. [Nerdist]

An Expert. The Forever season finale has landed a cool guest star. John Noble will play “the world’s foremost expert of antiquities and adventure, Aubrey Griffin.” Best name or BEST? [TV Fanatic]

Oliver and Snowden. HBO’s Last Week Tonight featured quite the interview this week. Host John Oliver talked to Edward Snowden and discussed government surveillance with a side of dick pics. Watch the entire episode right here on Nerdist.

More Who in the Works. The modern era of Doctor Who recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and it looks like it will get to keep celebrating. Showrunner Steven Moffat used to think it would only last ten years. He told Doctor Who magazine, “I didn’t think it would last ten years with BBC Worldwide trying to get me in a room to talk about their plan for the next five years!… It’s going to do a minimum of 15. I mean, it could do 26!” If the time traveling series keeps delivering ratings, anything is possible. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Quotes Take the Iron Throne.Game of Thrones is fantastic for almost too many reasons to list, and one of those reasons is the dialogue. Characters from Westeros to Essos have memorable lines that stick with you, and this supercut captures the most iconic phrases of them all. [Nerdist]

How do you think The Vampire Diaries will fare without Dobrev? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

]]>SleepyCast Finale: Fan Questions with Lyndie Greenwood and Mark Goffmanhttp://nerdist.com/sleepycast-finale-fan-questions-with-lyndie-greenwood-and-mark-goffman/
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:30:39 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=229237After the mind blowing Sleepy Hollow season two finale aired last week, the SleepyCast brings its season to a close by answering your questions! Join host Clarke Wolfe as she sits down with actress Lyndie Greenwood and showrunner Mark Goffman to reflect on the series so far, tie up loose ends and discuss their thoughts on a potential season three.

The SleepyCast may be going on hiatus but Clarke is still around and ready to talk all things Sleepy Hollow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Today on the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast, host Clarke Wolfe is going in depth with “Awakening” writer Raven Metzner. The pair discuss it all: Katrina and Henry’s war, the fate of Captain Frank Irving, and that unbelievable time travel ending! Plus, Clarke and Raven preview the season two finale coming up next week.

We’ll soon be sitting down with Sleepy star Lyndie Greenwood, so be sure to send your questions for the actress who plays Jenny Mills to Clarke via Facebook, Twitter or through our email address: SleepyCastPod@gmail.com

Sleepy Hollow airs its season two finale next Monday, February 23 at 9 PM on Fox!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-sleepy-hollow-sees-katrinas-awakening/feed/2SleepyCast: WHAT LIES BENEATH with Damian Kindler and Phillip Iscovehttp://nerdist.com/sleepycast-what-lies-beneath-with-damian-kindler-and-phillip-iscove/
http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-what-lies-beneath-with-damian-kindler-and-phillip-iscove/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 17:30:22 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=225304Sleepy Hollow is going out with a bang as the hit Fox series wraps up its second season, and the SleepyCast is on the inside with the people who create the show each week. Today we’re talking to “What Lies Beneath” writers Damian Kindler and series co-creator Phillip Iscove about bringing Thomas Jefferson (guest star Steven Weber) to life, continuing the Frank Irving (Orlando Jones)/ Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood) arc, and that scary cliffhanger between Henry (John Noble) and Katrina (Katia Winter)!

There are only two episodes left in season two of Sleepy Hollow! Be sure to reach out to Clarke via social media and let her know what you’d like to hear on the SleepyCast! Are you caught up on our show? Get the scoop on season two so far with interviews with the writers, directors and stars plus lots more of behind-the-scenes content here!

New episodes of Sleepy Hollow air on Monday nights at 9PM ET/PT on Fox!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-what-lies-beneath-with-damian-kindler-and-phillip-iscove/feed/1WATCH: Lost Your Head? Call SLEEPY HOLLOW’s Henry Parrish, Attorney at Lawhttp://nerdist.com/watch-lost-your-head-call-sleepy-hollows-henry-parrish-attorney-at-law-embargo/
http://nerdist.com/watch-lost-your-head-call-sleepy-hollows-henry-parrish-attorney-at-law-embargo/#commentsThu, 23 Oct 2014 01:05:51 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=194470Just in time for “Sleepy Holloween,” Fox’s hit series Sleepy Hollow has just released this new “legal ad” featuring the one and only John Noble as Henry Parrish, Esq, an attorney who is willing to wage war on your behalf. Because, as he explains, “what is war but an instrument of justice?”

Lost your head in an ancient battle? Cursed into becoming a wendigo? Possessed daughter murdered a priest? Obnoxious coven buried you alive? Pizza delivered in over 30 minutes? Your son’s doll blamed for murder? These cases and more can be handled by Mr. Henry Parrish. While some of them sound pretty familiar, one in particular, the wendigo curse, is a tease for next Monday’s episode. The reference to a succubus attempting to “suck your soul” is also a confirmed Sleepy Hollow baddie who is coming somewhere down the line… The ad features cheesy music, low quality green screen and flashing graphics — everything you would expect from a local lawyer’s commercial.

What are your thoughts, Sleepyheads? Would you hire Henry Parrish for legal council given his track record with his client Frank Irving so far? Tell is un the comments below!

Sleepy Hollow, starring Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie, Orlando Jones, Lyndie Greenwood and John Noble, airs Monday nights on Fox and a new episode of The SleepyCast premieres the following morning on Nerdist.com!

Image: FOX

]]>http://nerdist.com/watch-lost-your-head-call-sleepy-hollows-henry-parrish-attorney-at-law-embargo/feed/2SleepyCast #6: THE KINDRED with John Noble, Mark Goffman and Albert Kimhttp://nerdist.com/sleepycast-6-the-kindred-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-albert-kim/
http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-6-the-kindred-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-albert-kim/#commentsTue, 30 Sep 2014 16:30:58 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=187490This week on the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast, join host Clarke Wolfe as she discusses the second episode of the new Sleepy season with John Noble, Mark Goffman, and co-executive producer Albert Kim. Albert talks about being a Sleepyhead on his own time and later writing for the show, provides insight into Katrina, and reveals an exclusive untold backstory for Sheriff Leena Reyes (Sakina Jaffrey).

The SleepyCast also extends our logo contest one more day! Entries are now due (for reals this time) on Wednesday, October 1! Logos must be 1400×1400 pixels. To enter, post your artwork to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SleepyCast. You can even tag Nerdist (@NerdistDotCom) and Clarke (@clarkewolfe) to be extra sure we see your entry! Spread the word and refresh your memory on season one of the hit Fox show by listening to the SleepyCast’s previous episode recaps with the cast and crew.

Need to catch up with Sleepy Hollow before this week’s new episode? Watch last week’s episode and all of season one only on Hulu.

Watch Sleepy Hollow every Monday at 9 pm (ET/PT) on Fox!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-6-the-kindred-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-albert-kim/feed/8SLEEPY HOLLOW Season One Character Guidehttp://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-one-character-guide/
http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-one-character-guide/#commentsThu, 25 Sep 2014 16:00:39 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=185950As you may have heard, Nerdist is the home of the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow podcast. Needless to say, we love the show and the hit Fox drama has finally made its way back to our televisions and premiered season two this past Monday. In honor of our favorite Sleepy series returning with all-new episodes, we’ve created a Sleepy Hollow character guide to help get you up to speed with the memorable characters that we’ve met so far.

Please, be warned: HERE IS YOUR BIG, HUGE, MEGA SEASON ONE SPOILER ALERT!

Now, with out further adieu, please allow me to introduce the characters of Sleepy Hollow.

Ichabod Crane

“My name is Ichabod Crane…” Fans of the of the series know the speech well, but in order to catch you up to speed, Ichabod Crane was a professor at Oxford who came to the colonies to fight for the British, defected, and served General Washington during the American Revolution. He magically in awoke in 2013 after a particularly bloody battle and teamed up with Lt. Abigail Mills to fight the forces of evil and prevent the apocalypse. He is married to Katrina, who he later finds out is a very powerful witch and maybe sort of wasn’t entirely forthcoming with a few other things about herself…

Lt. Abbie Mills

Originally from a troubled home, Abbie Mills met Sheriff August Corbin as a teenager. After she and her sister Jenny suffered a traumatic experience in the woods at the hands of Moloch (the ancient demon who controls the Headless Horseman), both girls were faced with a decision: lie about what they had seen or tell the truth and let everyone think they were crazy. Abbie chose to lie and grew up in foster care while her sister Jenny spoke the truth and was committed to a mental institution. Abbie, under Sheriff Corbin’s mentorship, cleaned up her life and became a Lieutenant in the Sleepy Hollow Police Department. After Corbin was beheaded by a Headless Horseman, Abbie had no choice but to team up with Ichabod Crane and face the truth about what she saw in the woods so many years ago.

Katrina Crane

Married to Ichabod and formerly engaged to Abraham Van Brunt, Katrina is a very powerful witch who was cast out of her coven and spent a lot of time on the run after she had to put Ichabod under a spell that caused him to sleep for hundreds of years. According to series creators Len Wiseman and Mark Goffman on the SleepyCast, there will be many new revelations about secrets that Katrina had kept from Ichabod throughout their marriage.

Jenny Mills

Jenny Mills is Abbie’s sister who was also present in the woods when she and her sister first encountered Moloch. Jenny spent most of her youth institutionalized for telling the truth about what she and Abbie saw as little girls. This caused a major rift between Abbie and Jenny, and Jenny has found herself on the wrong side of the law many times before. Jenny was also mentored by Sheriff Corbin, unbeknownst to Abbie. Jenny is a skilled fighter and good with weapons.

Captain Frank Irving

Frank Irving was new to Sleepy Hollow after relocating from New York City. Irving is estranged from his wife and has a young daughter, Macey, who is disabled due to a car accident that Frank holds himself responsible for. Irving was skeptical of the supernatural happenings in Sleepy Hollow but now aligns himself with Abbie and Ichabod. He finds himself in jail after confessing to a murder he didn’t commit in order to protect a supernatural artifact (George Washington’s Bible) from the forces of evil and keeping his daughter out of harms way after she was threatened by a demon.

“Henry Parrish”/ Jeremy Crane/ Horseman of War

Season one’s “big bad,” it turns out that Henry Parrish who we all knew as a gifted Sin Eater (someone born with the power to sense sin) was Jeremy and Katrina’s son, Jeremy, the whole time. Jeremy was resurrected by Moloch and helped mislead Ichabod, Abbie and Katrina in order to punish them for their choices as parents. Henry is also the Horseman of War and is alive and well working alongside Moloch to release him out of purgatory so that Moloch can reign on Earth.

Sheriff August Corbin

A mentor to both Abbie and Jenny Crane, August Corbin was murdered by the Headless Horseman in the pilot episode of Sleepy Hollow but still remains a very powerful force and character in the Sleepy universe.

Headless Horseman/ Abraham Van Brunt

Ichabod’s best friend and Katrina’s former fiance, Abraham found himself left by Katrina for Ichabod and killed in battle. He was resurrected by Hessian soldiers and rose as the Headless Horseman. In the season two premiere, because of magical forces attached to a necklace that he had given to Katrina, she can now see his face and they are able to communicate with one another. Katrina is currently held captive by Headless because he is still in love with her and is determined to make her is own.

Andy Brooks

A former member of the Sleepy Hollow police force, Andy has been working alongside evil-doer Moloch since the pilot. He got put through the ringer in season one, constantly walking the line between being a henchman for the bad guys and helping Abbie when he can. It is safe to say that Brooks has a crush on Abbie.

Lachlan Fredericks

Lachlan Fredricks is the owner of Fredricks Manor and a warlock. Fredricks housed runaway slaves and people who needed protection from those looking to persecute people who practice magic. He is an all-around cool dude.

Grace Dixon

Grace Dixon was the “house matron” working for Lachlan Fredricks in the 1700s. Fredricks Manor was known as a sanctuary for runaway slaves and was rumored to be a safe house for those with supernatural tendencies. Katrina was staying in Fredricks Manor when she gave birth to Jeremy, her son, whom she had to give up for protection after his birth. Jeremy was left in Grace’s care and caused the fire that ended up killing her. We find out in season one that Abbie is related to Grace.

Moloch

Moloch is a big jerk and wants to ruin life as we know it. He has employed various monsters and demons and is determined to vanquish the two witnesses (Abbie and Ichabod) who stand in his way. Moloch has two horsemen (War and Headless) working for him currently and is trying to get the final two up and running so that he can bring about the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Moloch is currently trapped in purgatory which is why he needs creatures on Earth to carry out his evil deeds for him.

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Sleepy Hollow season two is back with new episodes airing Monday nights on Fox. For in depth discussions with the cast and crew of the previous night’s episode, don’t forget to check out the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow podcast hosted by me, Clarke Wolfe, every Tuesday on the Nerdist Podcast Network.

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-one-character-guide/feed/3SleepyCast #5: Sleepy Hollow Season 2 Premiere with John Noble, Mark Goffman and Author Alex Irvinehttp://nerdist.com/sleepycast-5-season-2-premiere-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-author-alex-irvine/
http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-5-season-2-premiere-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-author-alex-irvine/#commentsTue, 23 Sep 2014 16:30:07 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=185402Today the SleepyCast welcomes Mr. John Noble! Henry Parish himself is discussing the explosive season two premiere of Sleepy Hollow on Fox, his scenes picking on Ichabod, Abbie and Jenny, and what his character will be up to during season two. Also this week, a behind-the-scenes look at the premiere with showrunner Mark Goffman, and a conversation with Alex Irvine, author of The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane.

Don’t forget our SleepyCast logo design contest which has been extended to Wednesday, October 1st! Logos must be 1400×1400 pixels. To enter, post your artwork to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SleepyCast. You can even tag Nerdist (@NerdistDotCom) and Clarke (@clarkewolfe) to be extra sure we see your entry! Spread the word and refresh your memory on season one of the hit Fox show by listening to the SleepyCast’s previous episode recaps with the cast and crew.

Watch Sleepy Hollow every Monday at 9 pm (ET/PT) on Fox!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepycast-5-season-2-premiere-with-john-noble-mark-goffman-and-author-alex-irvine/feed/6SLEEPY HOLLOW Season Two Premiere Photoshttp://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-two-premiere-photos/
Fri, 12 Sep 2014 02:00:28 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=182240If you’re a regular reader of our site you may have noticed that we’re pretty big fans of Fox’s hit series Sleepy Hollow. Between premiering the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast three weeks ago and bringing you season two sneak peek coverage with the cast and crew at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and San Diego Comic Con. Now here’s a look at six images from the long awaited season two premiere airing Monday, September 22!

The pictures show Ichabod and Abbie together again and wielding some heavy artillery as well as Jenny, who was last seen knocked out on the side of the road after a nasty car accident. They also show Henry Parish played by John Noble up to no good and Tom Mison’s Ichabod Crane pictured solo and with a very dirty face. I wonder how he got all that dirt on his face? Perhaps it has something to do with that box he was buried in at the end of season one… There are so many Sleepy Questions!

After you stare lovingly at this collection of six photos and wonder desperately, “WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN???” perhaps you should subscribe to the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast for an in-depth recap of season one with the likes of Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Len Wiseman, showrunner Mark Goffman, Orlando Jones and more that will get you prepped and ready for the triumphant return of Sleepy Hollow on Monday, September 22 on Fox.

Images: Fox

]]>SLEEPY HOLLOW Casts Abbie and Jenny’s Momhttp://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-casts-abbie-and-jennys-mom/
Thu, 14 Aug 2014 17:30:57 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=174808It’s been a long seven months since the crazy season finale of one of the biggest hits of the 2013 television season, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. Since then, the team behind the scenes has slowly been teasing us with hints of what’s to come when the series returns on September 22.

Sleepy Hollow is back with an extended second season of 18 episodes and has made John Noble and Lyndie Greenwood series regulars. They’ve also announced the addition of actors Matt Barr and House of Cards alum Sakina Jaffrey, and that Benjamin Franklin would be making an appearance, being brought to life by actor Timothy Busfield. But that’s not all: this morning we learned that Aunjanue Ellis has been cast to play Abbie and Jenny’s departed mother, Lori Mills.

Sleepyheads like us will remember from season one that Abbie and Jenny believe that their mother’s mental instability contributed to the girls being taken from Lori and put into the system, where the girls moved foster homes often. They also faced tragedy as teenagers when they learned that their mother had taken her own life in a mental institution. However, with this casting news it sounds like what happened to their mother may be part of a much larger mystery.

]]>SLEEPY HOLLOW Fans (and Cast!) Unite for I AM A SLEEPYHEADhttp://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-fans-and-cast-unite-for-i-am-a-sleepyhead/
http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-fans-and-cast-unite-for-i-am-a-sleepyhead/#commentsTue, 12 Aug 2014 22:30:09 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=vepisode&p=174173That’s right! Here at Nerdist.com, We are Sleepyheads! But what is a “Sleepyhead”? As proclaimed by this video from Orlando Jones and his Driveby Entertainment production company, a Sleepyhead, noun, is a card carrying member of the Sleepy Hollow fandom.

Join Sleepy stars Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie, Lyndie Greenwood, Katia Winter, Orlando Jones, John Noble, Amandla Stenberg, actor Marlon Wayons, Nerdist’s Clarke Wolfe and Sleepyheads around the world as they introduce themselves and proclaim for all to hear, “I am a Sleepyhead!” in support of the second season of the Fox hit. From filmmakers overseas to pastry chefs to authors, all different ages, races and nationalities answered the call to tell a little about themselves and the results can be seen above!

Sleepy Hollow, created by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Len Wiseman and Phillip Iscove, returns with an extend season two on Monday, September 22. For more from the cast and crew of Sleepy Hollow make sure you watch Nerdist’s San Diego Comic-Con coverage!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-fans-and-cast-unite-for-i-am-a-sleepyhead/feed/1SLEEPY HOLLOW Season Two Gets a Spooky New Trailerhttp://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-two-gets-a-spooky-new-trailer/
http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-two-gets-a-spooky-new-trailer/#commentsMon, 04 Aug 2014 15:00:33 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=171776Sleepy Hollow blended the supernatural, dramatic and heartfelt so seamlessly in Season 1 that it’s no surprise hype for Season 2 is ramping up as summer ends. Between a completely unique genre show and a cast that appears to enjoy each other so much they can shoot Nerf guns at each other during interviews, what’s not to love? But at its heart, Sleepy Hollow is still a show that ended its first season with deadly cliffhangers. The new trailer reminds us exactly what is at stake. Watch it here:

The only definite positive (and possibly spoiler-y) reveal the trailer indicates is that Lt. Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) does in fact escape from Purgatory. How else could she and Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) be riding into battle to save humanity from the End of Days scenario prophesied? The trailer also teases the return of Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood), Katrina Crane (Katia Winter) and John Noble as the Horseman of War.

From the beginning, Sleepy Hollow has brought complex storytelling, gorgeous production value, and the spooky back to the small screen. Before it premiered last fall, a few naysayers complained, “Ugh, why aren’t people creating anything new anymore?” We can only assume those same naysayers were biting their tongues as the show’s creators not only added twists and turns to the classic Headless Horseman tale, but also presented great genre TV with an engaging, diverse cast and intelligent character-driven plot.

This trailer basically just makes us eager for September to get here already. Sleepy Hollow returns on September 22nd.

Did you have a favorite demon from season 1? Tell us in the comments below!

]]>http://nerdist.com/sleepy-hollow-season-two-gets-a-spooky-new-trailer/feed/5Two Beloved SLEEPY HOLLOW Characters Promoted to Series Regulars for Season 2http://nerdist.com/two-beloved-sleepy-hollow-characters-promoted-to-series-regulars-for-season-2/
http://nerdist.com/two-beloved-sleepy-hollow-characters-promoted-to-series-regulars-for-season-2/#commentsThu, 30 Jan 2014 03:00:58 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=109961Viewers who caught the truly excellent Sleepy Hollow season finale on January 20th might be worried about some of the freshman show’s minor characters. Well, put those fears to bed, because according to The Hollywood Reporter, John Noble and Lyndie Greenwood have both been promoted to series regulars for Season 2. (Minor spoilers follow.)

Noble, who we all know and love from Fringe, plays Henry Parish, a retired “sin-eater” whose true identity was revealed in the finale. (Cue creepy music.) Based on what we now know about the character, it makes complete sense that he’d be upped next year. Greenwood’s character, Jenny, on the other hand, was left unconscious in a car wreck, on the brink of death! Based on this news, Abbie’s badass sister either lives to see another day, or returns as a ghost. Good news either way.

If you missed the first season of Sleepy Hollow, Fox’s surprise hit of the fall, well, you should rectify that. Immediately. (It’s available to download on iTunes, and episodes 6-12 are streaming on Fox.) Although it appeared to be yet another failed new supernatural endeavor, Sleepy Hollow turned out to be a clever, thrilling romp that embraced its premise, introduced fleshed-out, diverse characters, and proved itself highly skilled at spooky world-building.

In fact, the running joke on Tumblr (likely perpetuated by cast member and self-proclaimed internet troll Orlando Jones) is that the show’s fans, who call themselves “Sleepyheads,” popped up overnight. From the get-go, this was a show that was fresh and different. Sleepy Hollow, in a nutshell, follows Lt. Abbie Miller (Nicole Beharie) and a resurrected Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) as they fight an army of demons and attempt to prevent the Four Horseman from bringing about the apocalypse. Ichabod also, understandably, spends quite a bit of time adapting to the 21st century, to hilarious effect.

Adding two more characters to the series regular fold is a good thing for Sleepy Hollow. (Also, please, can we get a new opening sequence? Four characters does not an ensemble make.) It’s got the right combo of horror, mystery, character development, and dark comedy to make it a new genre-TV staple.

]]>http://nerdist.com/two-beloved-sleepy-hollow-characters-promoted-to-series-regulars-for-season-2/feed/6A Noble Villain: “Superman Unbound”‘s John Noblehttp://nerdist.com/a-noble-villain-superman-unbounds-john-noble/
http://nerdist.com/a-noble-villain-superman-unbounds-john-noble/#commentsSat, 11 May 2013 21:11:45 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=74683This week, John Noble got to play in a world he’s loved since childhood. The Australian actor, best known for roles in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Fringe, got to fight Big Blue himself as the villain in DC’s Superman: Unbound. Noble brings his very distinct pipes to bear on the eponymous villain from Geoff Johns’ “Brainiac” storyline in Action Comics. We caught up with John about all things Brainiac, transitioning between live-action and voice work, and whether or not all those Star Wars and Doctor Who rumors are true.

Growing up in the Australian countryside, John Noble didn’t have access to a TV. As he tells us, his connection to Superman came about when he couldn’t get any other form of entertainment. “When I was a little boy growing up in the country, we didn’t have television or anything, in fact, television wasn’t in Australia. But I was able to get hold of certain comic books and the two that I loved most were Superman, the quintessential superhero, in my opinion, and I also loved the Phantom. They were the two I would read all the time. We’d listen to him on the radio as well. We listened to radio a lot. As kids we’d come home from school and there’d be Superman on. So we’d listen to that and become very involved. Therefore, it was quite an important part of my upbringing as a young fella. Everyday, we’d be tuned in and listen to The Adventures of Superman.”

Throughout the years, Brainiac has had many incarnations in the comics and television, from the live action James Marsters iteration on Smallville to the heroic Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Superheroes, and there’s nothing more confusing to a new Superman fan than someone trying to explain Brainiac’s backstory. With Superman: Unbound, Noble puts a voice to what could be the definitive Brainiac, a version he hopes to revisit. “The writers and the director wanted that to happen. They wanted to define Brainiac, finally. That was the intention when they brought me in. I think what we did was come up with a version that does have longevity, that can be interesting enough to revisit, so, yeah, I suspect that will be revisited. I hope so.”

John continued, turning the conversation to the human element he wanted to bring to Brainiac, “Look, one of the things I wouldn’t have been keen to do is an animated cliche. I approach everything as if it’s a human being with all the flaws and so forth of a human being. It was there in the script. The script allowed me to do that. So I had these options, and Andrea was such a brilliant director; She was working with me and guiding me and molding what I was doing. We both agreed that it was interesting to have him with those human vulnerabilities, which became quite evident at the end of the show. It made it far more interesting.”

To that note, John elaborated on how he made the character almost sympathetic in the climactic battle with Superman. “Playing any character, no matter how evil, I would always try and find it. Vulnerability is what makes us sympathetic, and he was very vulnerable at the end of that. Superman had him by the short and curlies, you know. He had him. Even when you might think someone is a terrible villain, to see them reduced in that way is kind of sympathetic. I was certainly playing for that using the script and Andrea encouraged me to do that. I certainly want to work with Andrea Romano at Warner Brothers again, and that will happen.”

How critical is Andrea Romano to the recipe of success these films have? Well, we know we love what she’s able to get out of the talent she recruits, but for John, she was one of the biggest draws. “Her reputation is huge. She’s the best in the business and I knew that. She’s also just a terrific lady, a terrific lady, and we also got on really well as people. We seem to share a common enthusiasm and certain intellectual vigors that I enjoy. I was more than happy to hand over to her and trust her completely on what she said works. I didn’t doubt her for a minute.”

Like most actors who understand the value of voice-over work, Noble is just as serious about his efforts in the studio as he is when he’s being filmed for live-action. “Two things, one – I’ve always been a working actor. I would use my skills wherever someone would employ them. That’s just a reality of being a working actor, but also, it’s a skill set I’ve really enjoyed developing, because there is a skill set involved in recording studio [work]. Over the years, I started doing radio drama back in the seventies before radio drama died out, so it was kind of a surprise to me to want to come back into all that as I hadn’t done much for a number of years. When I went to L.A. in the early ’90’s, I was approached by a voice agent and unlike film, (it) is something you can keep doing forever, you know, as long as your voice holds out. It means you don’t have to go to locations for three months. You go into a sound studio and work crazily hard for a few hours and create whatever magic you can. I’ve done about three projects since Superman and I love it, man.”

As we wrapped up our conversation, talk turned to roles fans have wanted John to play. We asked him how it felt to be on so many fans’ shortlists to get involved in Doctor Who. “I’ve heard them,” he said. “There’s a lot of rumors spread around the place. There was the other rumor that I’m going to be in the Star Wars movie playing a villain. These things get around whether they’re created in the imagination of fans, I don’t know. Doctor Who‘s been around for fifty years. Isn’t that amazing? If there was something there and they approached me about it, I think it would be interesting to go. It’s a bit like playing a character in Superman. When you do something that’s so iconic, it would be just an honor to go and do something on that show, simply because it is, as I said, fifty years old and still amazing audiences. People adore it. I went to a fan conference in Los Angeles and it was amazing. If they did offer it to me, mate, I would certainly take it seriously and be very honored. I don’t know if I’d want to dedicate my life to doing another series, but I’d certainly be interested in doing something. There’s a lovely cross-globalization if you did that. It’s a bit like us having Leonard Nimoy and Christopher Lloyd on Fringe. A real extraordinary thing, those legends working with us.”